Study Abroad Office

Spring of my junior year I spent six months in Ecuador as part of the Pitzer study abroad program. The time I spent there was life changing to say the least. The program was based out of Quito, the capital city in Ecuador. My host family became my own, the other students on the program became some of my closest friends, and the adventures we had together were uniquely our own. The Pitzer group trips we went on were experiences that I will most likely never have again, including an all expenses paid four day cruise through the Galapagos Islands. I swam with sharks, played with sea lions, and finally got to see some blue footed boobies! While in Ecuador I assisted the Universidad de San Francisco, a private liberal arts institution very much like Pitzer, where I discovered a newfound interest for watercoloring while also getting to take a meditation class. I was in Ecuador for a total of 6 months, and I still haven’t had enough. Thus, I will be moving to Ecuador after graduation to see more of the country and hopefully more of South America as well. I am eternally grateful for the opportunity I had to study abroad in such a wonderful country that Pitzer made so easy.

In the spring of my junior year, I spent six months living in Christchurch, New Zealand. Frontiers abroad is an immersive geology focused study abroad opportunity. The program started off with a six week field camp that allowed for in-depth exploration of a variety of geologic processes that characterize both the south and north islands of New Zealand. During the field camp I hiked the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, mapped underground cave streams, swam in old volcanic crater lakes, and explored natural hot springs. For the other five months, I studied geology and environmental analysis at the University of Canterbury. I think that it is vital that future scientists consider; and engage in intercultural awareness. Personally, I want to one day ask questions about some of the world’s most pressing environmental issues, questions involving environmental change and disaster. These are global issues that require dynamic and global perspectives. And for that reason, I am so thankful that Pitzer made such an immersive experience possible for me.

Studying abroad was truly a transformative experience for me. I participated in Pitzer’s program in Parma, Italy and had the once in a lifetime opportunity to be fully immersed in the Italian culture and language. The program consists of four courses: Art History, Italian Culture, Italian Language, and a Community-Based volunteership. One of my favorite parts of studying abroad was my volunteer work through the Community-Based course. For my volunteership, I taught over 60 hours of English to Italian middle schoolers by preparing topics related to the culture of the United States including food, civil rights, my hometown, and more! Studying abroad helped me to learn about the intricacies of Italian culture and see beautiful places like Florence, Venice, and Milan. I hope to travel back to Italy again in the future.

I spent my junior year abroad in Paris through the Pitzer-Sciences Po Direct Enrollment Program. Focused mainly on topics pertaining to international relations and political science, Sciences Po allowed me to study challenging academic subjects in a very nuanced setting. I had the privilege of taking classes taught by former politicians, authors and human rights activists, which made discussions extremely insightful. Through our classes, we were able to visit some of Paris’ most important institutions such as the National Assembly, UNESCO, and the Ministry of Armed Forces and interview various stakeholders. The program had a host family element to it which gave me an invaluable opportunity to not only learn more about the culture, but also hone my French speaking abilities.

I did the Pitzer-run Health Program in San José, Costa Rica in the summer after my sophomore year. Through this study abroad program, I was able to work mornings in a clinic and assist with field work–taking blood pressure, weight measurements, and recording client information for government medical records. In the afternoon, we had two hours of Spanish lessons and two hours of Sociology class with occasional field-trips on Fridays or for a three-day weekend. I had the most amazing time being able to learn about the Costa Rican medical system, visiting cloud forests, visiting hospitals, and more. It’s a two-credit program that is a great option for pre-health students or double majors.